Phet effect: Rajasthan villages flooded

After a searing tryst with summer,the western parts of Rajasthan witnessed heavy rains and strong winds on Sunday night flooding villages and causing deaths of livestock. Road and rail traffic was also severely affected and authorities said that it might get back to normal on Wednesday. The rains lashed the Jodhpur and Bikaner regions and some villages in Jaisalmer had to be evacuated.

In Jaisalmer districts Lathi village,around 70 km from Jaisalmer city,more than 20 families were rescued from their inundated homes with the help from an Army camp nearby. Jaisalmer Additional District Magistrate Baldev Ujwal said,Though the rains provided some much-needed respite,some houses suffered minor damage,while we are still compiling a list of dead domesticated animals. The rain affected not only Jaisalmer city,but the entire district. He added that this was possibly the highest rainfall recorded in a day in Jaisalmer in the last 50 years.

According to figures available with the Jaisalmer district administration,Pokharan recorded the highest rainfall with 116 mm,while Jaisalmer recorded 85 mm. Met department officials maintained that the rain was largely due to the the Phet cyclone,which affected the Gujarat coast,which moved north. Jaisalmer district officials stated that all emergency services had been put on alert since Sunday,while the Army and Air Force have also been requested to provide assistance.

Senior district officials stated that Sunday nights heavy rains washed away railway tracks and blocked the NH 15 between Pokharan and Jaisalmer stranding tourists on either side. Baldev said,Rail traffic is expected to resume on Wednesday,while the NH 15 might take a little longer. He added that while,larger vehicles could still cross flooded parts,cars and two-wheelers would have to use alternative routes.